horrific

adjective

hor·​rif·​ic hȯ-ˈri-fik 

hä-

: having the power to horrify

a horrific account of the tragedy

horrifically

hȯ-ˈri-fi-k(ə-)lē 

hä-

adverb

Synonyms

• gruesome
• shocking
• horrible
• terrible
• nightmare
• horrifying
• frightening

Examples of horrific in a Sentence

horrific images of the devastation spurred many people to give generously

Recent Examples on the Web

One gang, as opposed to sending in someone that’s 21 and over, will send somebody that is 14 years old to commit one of these horrific assaults, knowing that person is not going to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. —Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2025

There is no justification for the horrific acts that took place. —Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025

The lack of regulation of factories led to horrific workplace accidents, and the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire claimed 146 victims, mostly Italian and Jewish young women. —Annie Polland, Time, 25 Sep. 2025

The horrific string of wildfires that has plagued California in recent years, taking dozens of lives and destroying many billions of dollars in property, also created a crisis in property insurance. —Dan Walters, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French & Latin; French horrifique, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Latin horrificus "inspiring awe or dread, frightening," from horrēre "to be stiffly erect, bristle, shudder, shiver" + -i- -i- + -ficus -fic — more at horror entry 1

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for horrific

• pacific
• prolific
• salvific
• specific
• terrific
• calorific
• conspecific
• hieroglyphic
• honorific
• nonspecific
• scientific
• soporific